Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) have bolstered their fast bowling attack by roping in Mumbai's star all-rounder Shardul Thakur for the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025, as per an Indian Express report.
Shardul Thakur joins LSG as injury replacement
Shardul Thakur, who went unsold in the IPL 2025 mega auction, has joined LSG for a base price of Rs 2 crores. This move comes as a direct response to injury concerns within LSG's existing pace lineup, notably the calf injury sustained by left-arm pacer Mohsin Khan. The National Cricket Academy's Centre of Excellence (COE) has assessed Khan's fitness and indicated that he is currently only 50 per cent fit, suggesting a potential return to the field later in the IPL season.
Shardul Thakur is set to join the LSG squad and travel to Vizag for their opening match against the Delhi Capitals (DC). He is anticipated to share the new ball duties with Shamar Joseph. According to Indian Express, the finalisation of Thakur's contract was delayed pending the fitness clearance report from the COE, which the LSG franchise received on Saturday afternoon.
Big injury updates on Mayank Yadav, Avesh Khan, Akash Deep
LSG has been actively addressing fitness concerns within their fast bowling department, seeking clarity on the availability of key players. The franchise has received updates from the Centre of Excellence (COE) regarding Mayank Yadav, Avesh Khan, and Akash Deep. The COE has indicated that Mayank Yadav, known for his express pace, is expected to regain fitness by mid-April. However, both Akash Deep and Avesh Khan, who is recovering from a knee injury, are projected to miss the team's initial three matches.
Shardul Thakur's presence at LSG's training sessions over the past week has fueled speculation about his inclusion in the squad. This speculation was further intensified by his appearance in LSG's social media content, albeit briefly, as the post was subsequently deleted. Moreover, Thakur was seen participating in the team's Holi celebrations and training sessions, wearing the LSG jersey.
LSG's mentor, Zaheer Khan, acknowledged the team's injury challenges, stating that they are prepared for uncertainties to occur.
”We can’t really say much as our players are currently with the NCA. We are working alongside them to see how things move forward. The situation is dynamic and when you’re talking about the IPL you have to be ready for uncertainties to occur. We plan for the season accordingly with 24 players, we have to field the playing XI that upholds the brand of cricket we want and win. This is a positive unit and you will get to see a positive approach,” Zaheer said in a press conference ahead of the start of IPL 2025.
Here's is LSG's full schedule for IPL 2025:
|
Match
|
Date
|
Time
|
Venue
|
|
DC vs LSG
|
March 24
|
7:30 PM
|
Vishakapatnam
|
|
SRH vs LSG
|
March 27
|
7:30 PM
|
Hyderabad
|
|
LSG vs PBKS
|
April 1
|
7:30 PM
|
Lucknow
|
|
LSG vs MI
|
April 4
|
7:30 PM
|
Lucknow
|
|
KKR vs LSG
|
April 6
|
3:30 PM
|
Kolkata
|
|
LSG vs GT
|
April 12
|
3:30 PM
|
Lucknow
|
|
LSG vs CSK
|
April 14
|
7:30 PM
|
Lucknow
|
|
RR vs LSG
|
April 19
|
7:30 PM
|
Jaipur
|
|
LSG vs DC
|
April 22
|
7:30 PM
|
Lucknow
|
|
MI vs LSG
|
April 27
|
3:30 PM
|
Mumbai
|
|
PBKS vs LSG
|
May 4
|
7:30 PM
|
Dharamsala
|
|
LSG vs RCB
|
May 9
|
7:30 PM
|
Lucknow
|
|
GT vs LSG
|
May 14
|
7:30 PM
|
Ahmedabad
|
|
LSG vs SRH
|
May 18
|
7:30 PM
|
Lucknow |
LSG's full squad for IPL 2025:
Nicholas Pooran, Ravi Bishnoi, Mayank Yadav, Mohsin Khan, Ayush Badoni, Rishabh Pant, David Miller, Aiden Markram, Mitchell Marsh, Avesh Khan, Abdul Samad, Aryan Juyal, Akash Deep, Himmat Singh, M. Siddharth, Digvesh Singh, Shahbaz Ahmed, Akash Singh, Shamar Joseph, Prince Yadav, Yuvraj Chaudhary, Rajvardhan Hangargekar, Arshin Kulkarni, Matthew Breetzke.